Students ‘Hopeful’ On 2nd Day Back At Stoneman Douglas High

PARKLAND (CBSMiami/AP) – For a second day, students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High were told to leave their backpacks at home and return to school for another day of healing.

It was a much quieter day on campus. Not as many parents dropping their kids off as the students try to get back to their normal routine.

As his students slowly adjust to being back, Principal Ty Thompson had some good news for them.

Good morning Eagles: today, Mar 1, is a silver day on a PSD schedule, dismissal at 11:40 again. Another day of healing, so no need for backpacks! BTW: I increased the number of therapy dogs 🐕 #MSDStrong 🦅🦅 pic.twitter.com/el60Dm5kl6

Liam Kierman is a tenth grader. He appreciates the easing back into the school and into class. He’s especially happy to see all the grief counselors and the therapy dogs.

“You felt sad, but at the same time felt hopeful. You felt good about returning to school because you knew there was so much love and support around you. It felt good to be there, good to be a student,” said Kierman.

Marcelo is one of those comfort animals. His handlers say she helped kids open up – and relax.

“They loved Marcelo. They just kept kissing and hugging her and playing with her. And was she was stealing their water bottles and that made them laugh, that was good,” said dog handler Julie Levy.

For some, the healing will take longer than others.

Aria Siccone says she’s haunted by the image of a terrified boy knocking on the door of her locked classroom as the gunman, later identified by police as 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz, began shooting.

She said no one let him in out of fear that the shooter would follow. He was fatally shot.

“The one thing that bothers me the most … is how I saw the boy in the door and we couldn’t let him in and that just hurts a lot,” said Siccone, who is 15. If they had, “The shooter could have followed him in and hurt so many more people.”

Dozens of people gathered Thursday at an arcade in Coral Springs for a good cause — to raise money for the family of a Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School victim to go to DC later this month for the March for Our Lives.

Glow in the dark golf in Coral Springs brought in donations for a worthy cause — the opportunity to send the family of Marjory Stoneman Douglas victim Joaquin Oliver to Washington DC later this month to rally for gun control.

Jada Decoste was friend of Joaquin’s and helped plan the event to take 100 percent of the proceeds from the mini golf to pay for travel expenses.

“I think it’s fantastic,” she said. “There’s a lot of people here to support Joaquin and that’s great. I think Joaquin was loved by so many people and I think tonight proves that point.”

CBS4 was told Joaquin Oliver’s parents were very pleased with the turnout tonight and the donations.

“There needs to be change and they want to express their feelings because their son is gone,” said family friend, Tennille Decoste.

Thursday, there were a few volunteers outside the school to show support.

“Just meeting parents and kids anyway we can, encouraging them anyway we can,” said Kelly Mercer, a volunteer from a church in New York.

“We don’t have all the answers, we don’t know how to fix this problem in society, but we want to care for the people around us who are being left out and show them love,” said Hannah Hulatt.

At Stoneman Douglas High on Wednesday, some of the police officers guarding the nearly 3,300-student school carried military-style rifles. Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie said the police presence would continue for the remainder of the school year. The heavy arms rattled some students.

At Stoneman Douglas, about 150 grief counselors were on campus “to provide a lot of love, a lot of understanding” and to help students “ease back” into their school routines, said Broward Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie.

“It’s not how you go down. It’s how you get back up,” said Casey Sherman, a 17-year-old junior. She said she was not afraid to return, “just nervous.”

Students will remain on a modified schedule on Friday and return to a regular schedule on Monday.